Ingredients
Tomatoes:
2½ Tbs Olive Oil
3½ tsp White Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp Local Honey (Wildflower, Sourwood)
4 lbs Different varieties of ripe Heirloom Tomatoes
2 Tbs Fresh Basil, cut in thin strips
Sea Salt
Cracked black pepper to taste
Field Pea Salad:
1 lb Fresh Shelled Field Peas
1 tsp Fennel Seed
½ tsp Celery Seed
¼ cup Whole Grain Mustard
¼ cup White Balsamic Vinegar
½ cup Olive Oil
Herb Dressing:
1 clove Fresh Garlic
½ cup Fresh Basil, stemmed, minced
½ cup Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, minced
½ cup Fresh Tarragon, stemmed, minced
¼ cup Chives, minced
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup Sour Cream
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions
For the Tomatoes: Mix oil, vinegar, honey in a small bowl. Wash and core tomatoes and then slice ¼ inch thick. Place tomatoes in a large bowl and toss with oil and vinegar mix.
For the Field Peas: Cook Field Peas in boiling, salted water for approximately 25 minutes. The peas should be tender, but not mushy. Skim off any foam that floats to the top. Drain and allow peas to cool. Meanwhile, toast the fennel and celery seeds in a dry pan to release their flavor and aromas. Be careful not to scorch them. Once the field peas have cooled, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
For the Dressing: Toast garlic clove in oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Mince garlic. Whisk the garlic with all the remaining ingredients until smooth. For smoother consistency, use a blender or immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finish the Dish: Stack tomatoes on a serving platter and finish with additional basil, sea salt and cracked pepper. Spoon Field Pea Salad over tomato stack. Drizzle Herb Dressing over tomatoes and field peas.
Pairing Suggestion: Salads, and particularly tomatoes, almost always require a wine of equal “presence” on the table. The acidity of tomatoes (or many vinaigrette dressings) makes a timid wine disappear. Sancerre – French Sauvignon Blanc – is a natural partner here, with its minerality and crisp acidic finish.